The hoot of a flute drifts by, carried by a summer breeze. A female two-part harmony follows. Before I can take in those sounds, I hear a sparkling sitar. Was there a hint of a Western drum in the mix as well? A faint but enchanting tune beckons to me now. My ears...

The great cellist Yo-Yo Ma has said, “There’s a moment where you can go into nature — always, at any moment, and figure out some parallel to what is happening in a sound-centric world.” Beyond Oceans was reminiscent of fall colors – it brought...